


Mood Socks?

by orphan_account



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-17
Updated: 2012-12-17
Packaged: 2017-11-21 10:00:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/596417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek Morgan had a hypothesis about Spencer Reid and his odd socks. He wasn't all too shocked by his findings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mood Socks?

**Author's Note:**

> I don;t own CM, but if I did I would totally spice things up a bit!!!!

Derek always noticed Reid’s socks, it was somewhat hard not to, they were often so… bright! They were often something he and Rossi had made comments on, mostly in jest. However, after a while Derek noticed something about the socks, they often depicted Spencer’s mood. 

The first time he came to that realisation was when the team was on a case in Vermont and they had not been able to find the Unsub, three more lives had been lost since their involvement, including an LEO’s and spirits were low. They were in the station and Reid was sitting in a seat staring at the evidence board. The legs of his pants had risen up and Derek noticed the left was grey with blue polka dots, while the right was just forest green, and Reid was barely uttering a word, his glum mood evident to all. Five days later, they had caught the Unsub and saved the next victims life, and were getting ready to head home. All the team returned to their lodgings and took an hour to freshen up before heading back to Quantico. On the flight back, Derek noticed Reid’s socks displayed his now far more cheerful mood. One was pink and orange stripes, the other blue with green dinosaurs. 

Derek kept note of his theory and watched over several weeks to see was his hypothesis correct. It was. Every time a case was going badly, or something else had the genius feeling miserable, the socks were dark, or boring. When he was content, cheery and upbeat, they were more often brighter, more colourful and often featured cartoons. 

One day on a case, while shopping for essentials having left his go-bag in Quantico by mistake, Derek found himself looking at Star Wars and Marvel Comics socks. He had no idea what they were doing in a regular men’s department store next to the countless shades of black, dark grey and navy blue socks that most men tend to wear, but seeing them, he could not resist purchasing them for his friend. 

The case was brutal, no member of the team found it in them to even salute other members as they met after going separate ways to collect information. The socks had been long forgotten and thrown aside by Morgan as they continued to try to solve the case at hand. The call coming straight after he had purchased the clothing and no member of the team had had the chance to sleep in the three days since then. All of them were drained and barely able to stand straight, meals forgotten, sleep, something they couldn’t even consider. Hotch had had enough, he demanded his subordinates to their hotel for at least a shower, if nothing else. They were anything but professional dishevelled and bleary eyed, so he demanded they take time to rest. 

They were sharing rooms, a common occurrence due to budgetary restrictions. As usual, Derek and Reid were paired together. Derek was unpacking a few items from the shopping bag when he pulled out the colourful socks. He looked at them for a moment before his exhausted brain recalled getting them for the other man. He smiled and looked to the other bed where the lithe man lay collapsed haphazardly close to the edge. 

“Pretty Boy?” 

“Hmm?” 

“I got you something the other day, and well this is the first chance I had to give them to you.” He pulled out the other pairs of socks and walked over to the other bed. Reid raised his head curiously to see what it was that Derek was talking about. As soon as he saw them, he shot up, all previous exhaustion forgotten, if only for a few minutes. As he looked at them, he smiled. It was a weak smile, his low morale and tiredness to blame, but it was a genuine smile, and in turn made Derek smile. 

“These are great, thank you.”

“On days like today we need something to cheer us up, right?” Derek smiled, before heading to the bathroom to take his shower. Reid seemed to remain silent as he mulled over what Derek said. The older man took his shower and by the time Reid had completed his, Derek was fast asleep in his bed. 

The next day, the case remained as morbid as before, though the team were somewhat refreshed. Derek noted that Reid was wearing a sock, which looked suspiciously like it had R2-D2 on it, while the other remained dark and gloomy. He said nothing, and observed. 

After another two months, he came to add another note to his friend and his odd socks. On the days that seemed the hardest, and most challenging for the young agent, one sock was always either the Star Wars, or Marvel characters Derek had given him, and on rare moments, Derek could almost be certain he would see Reid look down at the colourful attire, before looking over to him and smiling, if only for the briefest moment. After a while, he added a Doctor Who set to the collection, much to the younger man’s delight.


End file.
